Yesterday, with as much grace as I could muster, I accepted yet another piece of fateful news at work.
I should back-up by explaining Tuesday our department gathered for a fateful unit restructuring meeting. I knew it was bad news when the director phoned to say she wanted to meet individually with me and the Academic Coordinator before the department meeting. No one else was requested for an individual meeting and I prepared myself for bad news.
She began with “K, this entire plan is dependent upon you being here working 80-100% from now until next September. If this is not your plan you need to tell me now because things are already in motion”. First, how unfair to say the restructuring of the department depends on me. Second, I should hear the proposal first so I can take consider the offer. What does one say, “Um, that plan will not provide any stability for the unit and I might decide to apply for other jobs instead”. I kept my mount shut and listened to the offer:
They give me another promotion (+) I will believe this when it happens
I keep the Summer Masters Program (+ and -) and nothing else
I get rid of the academic year LL.M. and its horrendous admissions process -Hallelujah! (+++)
In addition I get the 4-week Orientation program and nothing else (+ and -)
I get to work 80% Sept-May and 120% May-Aug. On Tuesday I was not happy with this plan but after looking at the positives I recognize it is a great improvement over what I went through last year and I am a big fan of working 10-5.
Wednesday the real blow came. I arrived at 10 and the news I receive (I have not even turned my computer on yet) is that my office has been sacrificed in the space war. I have been exiled to the smallest most remote office space in our department. If I can fit all my stuff into the new space (which I can’t). I will miss the huge window in my old office, through which I enjoy watching the three little cottontail bunnies who frolic in the grass outside.
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